Becky G Shows Off Her Starpower at Hometown Los Angeles Tour Stop: Concert Review
All 10-plus years of Becky G’s expansive musical career were on display for the second of three sold-out nights at the Novo in her native Los Angeles. The “Mi Casa, Tu Casa” tour is the 26-year-old’s first-ever headlining jaunt, a fact she brings up early into the show before inviting the crowd to join her for a shot of Patrón tequila.
Since breaking out with her 2013 rendition of the J. Lo hit “Becky From the Block,” Rebbeca Gomez has released music as Becky G in multiple styles, launching first as a rapper and pop singer and later establishing herself in reggaeton with her Bad Bunny-featuring “Mayores.” The latter opens her set as pink, orange and purple hues light up the stage ahead of her entrance. The architectural stage design mimics that of her Coachella set from earlier this year, as does the setlist which similarly dedicates time to pay a colorful tribute to the Queen of Tejano, Selena Quintanilla.
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There is one major update — her newly released música Mexicana record “Esquinas” is the focus of the evening, and after kicking off with reggaeton, Becky puts on her tejana (Mexican sombrero) and begins to sing “Ya Acabó,” her 2022 sad sirreño anthem with Marca MP. Later, the Latin Grammy-nominated group Conexión Divina, who opened for the show, returned to the stage with acoustic guitars in hand to support the band through the Peso Pluma-featuring “Chanel” (they used a recording of his verse) and “La Nena.”
Becky’s swelling vibrato rings in “Esquinas” standouts like “Cries in Spanish” and “2ndo Chance,” which she said were dedications to “chicana culture,” a sentiment the crowd cheered enthusiastically. She also brought out Chiquis, the daughter of late Mexican-American icon Jenni Rivera, to deliver their first live performance of “Cuidadito.”
Pictured above: Becky G and Chiquis perform at The Novo in Los Angeles on Oct. 12.
An hour and a half into the evening, she exchanged the sparkly bikini top and cowboy hat for a pink jersey emblazoned with “Inglewood,” the bustling city that raised Becky and a number of other Angelenos in the room, as she expertly raced through “Becky From the Block” and her shiny pop hit “Shower.”
In more vulnerable moments, the dancers exit the stage and she is left standing solo center stage. Such was the case for the performance of “Querido Abuelo,” an homage to her late grandfather, whom she credits for “giving me the opportunity to be on this stage with you here now.” With tears in her eyes, Becky sang the ballad while a video montage of her as a child played in the background.
Becky’s concerts — as a headlining festival artist or an opening act — have always carried this sense of familiarity. When she launches into Selena’s “Como La Flor,” Latin pride is palpable in the room. In between every (yes, every) single song, the crowd chants her name to pick her up, and Becky returns the love by flashing a smile — there’s no need for an exchange of words.
When Becky sat down with Variety before her tour and album release in September, the singer could only imagine what that moment would feel like: “Someone recently told me ‘You have no idea what you’ll receive from fans on tour — that love is so real. I really hope you take it in.’ And now that we’re releasing this album, and I’m going to be performing new music — in real-time, sharing it with my fans — it’s just such a special time in my career.”
Before the curtain closed, amidst a sea of hot pink cowboy hats, fans of all ages danced their last dance and shouted their final “I love yous,” some still with tears on their face. The neon-lit streets of Downtown Los Angeles echoed with gleeful shouts and sing-a-longs and in the end, the concert truly felt like a homecoming — a familial mingling in honor of its local star.
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